The sport of dragster racing typically involves two vehicles racing against each other on two straight, parallel racing tracks. At one end of the track is a designated starting line and at the opposite end of the track is a designated finish line. A winning vehicle is one that reaches the finish line within the shortest time period. The race commences with the vehicles accelerating from a stationary start. During the sudden acceleration of the vehicles from the starting line, the front ends of the dragsters often raise from the ground. The action which results when the front end lifts during acceleration is commonly referred to as a "wheelie". The rapid acceleration combined with a wheelie makes dragster racing a thrilling experience. Unfortunately, a dragster is an inherently dangerous vehicle during a "wheelie" because the entire front end is lifted off the roadway, making the vehicle unstable, very difficult to control, and a hazard to its occupants and any bystanders.
In a continuing quest to provide thrilling and unique experiences, others have created amusement rides which attempt to simulate the sensation of being in a drag race while eliminating the danger inherent in operating a dragster. None of these rides have been successful in generating an authentic feeling "wheelie."
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,321, issued to MOSLEY et al. discloses a dragster ride featuring bungee cord acceleration and deceleration structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,514, issued to POWELL et al. discloses a ride simulating a drag race in which each vehicle is accelerated by a linear induction motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,705 to POWELL discloses an electrically powered drag racing ride, including a special effects generator for generating sound, hydraulic shaking, and smoke at appropriate times.
Although each of these patents attempts to simulate the thrill of a real dragster race, none of them discloses a means by which to incorporate the "wheelie" motion into the ride. U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,241 to HOCK discloses a sled for sliding on low friction surfaces, such as snow or ice, provides a mechanism for manually raising the front frame of the sled off the ground, generating a sensation similar to that experienced with a "wheelie". However, this sensation is created by the rider pushing against a control bar, and is thus expected, and not as thrilling as a wheelie which is automatically generated by acceleration.
Accordingly, the need exists for a dragster-type amusement ride which permits the front end of the vehicle to rise up automatically to generate a wheelie when a predetermined acceleration occurs, without the accompanying hazards of a dragster vehicle.